“Don’t Send Your Child to School Day”: Common Core Protests Happening Today

Some students are not attending school today as part of a parent-organized protest against Common Core.

Common Core is a national set of standards for education. Most states have adopted the curriculum, but some are reportedly backing out. The standards are not federally mandated, but the U.S. Government is bribing offering increased funding to states that adopt the curriculum.

Critics say the standards have not been tested for effectiveness and implement a “one-size fits all” approach that doesn’t consider individual learning styles. Some have also expressed concern about the age-appropriateness of the content.

The protest is reportedly occurring in at least 16 states today and has become a political movement on Facebook. An organization called “Say No To Common Core,” says National Don’t Send Your Child To School Day is “intended to raise awareness of their concerns and put a stop to the new standards, demanding evidence-based standards that are locally controlled and no more data mining of our children.”

The protests were planned to coincide with American Education Week. In addition to keeping students home from school, parents who object to the Common Core standards are participating in public protests at state capitol, local school district offices, and local parks.

ABC News in New York reports:

Bob Crout’s child attends a public school, and he isn’t a fan of the Common Core standards. He said, “It sets them up for failure in life, instead of making them successful.”

Critics say that taking children out of school for the day is a bad idea, but supporters of the protest disagree:

“Any opportunity to see that we as normal citizens have a voice, that’s always an educational opportunity to me,” said Tina Wilson. She homeschools her children, but is concerned about the impact the Common Core standards will have on the teaching materials she uses.